Electrical attachment fitting



M. PROPP ELECTRICAL ATTACHMENT FITTING Filed July 28 1925 Jan. 2, 1934.

Patented Jan. 2, 1934 'UNITED STATES umarmen. A'r'racmmn'r'm'rrmc Morris Propp, New York, N. Y., assignor to The M. Propp Co. Inc., New York, N. Y., a corpora tion of New York Application July 28, 1925. Serial No. 46,557 8 Claims. (Cl. 173-334) This invention relates to attachment ttings and more particularly is directed to an improved fitting adapted to provide quick-detachable, circuit-tapping means for receiving a plurality of portable conductors.

The object of the invention is to generally improve this type of fitting and to provide a device of the character described having few and simple parts,'which is cheap to manufacture, neat in appearance, compactly and conveniently constructed, and practical and emcient to a high degree for the purposes described.

Other vobjects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fitting embodying the invention;

Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are cross-sectional views taken on lines 2-2, 3-3, and 4 4 respectively in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a current carrying portion of the fitting;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a modication of the invention in the form of a plug type of fitting; and

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing anothermodiflcation of the invention in the formV of a junction or connector fitting.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 10 denotes a fitting embodying the invention. and is seen to comprise a body portion 11 formed of insulating material such as porcelain, Bakeli or other like suitable material, and metallic current carrying portions 12. For simplicity and cheapness the body portion is preferably made of two similar parts or halves 11a which are secured together by any suitable means such as screw bolt 13, and are adapted to hold between them the current carrying portions 12 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The body portion when assembled may be made to resembled two intersecting cylinders A and B; the cylinder A being split longitudinally in a plane extending through the diameter of its circular end faces 21, 21* and normal to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder B to form said halves 1ln as shown in Fig. 1.

The screw bolt 13 extends axially through the cylinder B and spaced to extend on each side thereof are through-passage openings, or socket portions 11b.` Similar socket portions 11c may be provided in cylinder A to extend through the face 21 in the body portion 1l and to intersect with the said passage openings 11b. There is also pro- 60 vided av passage opening 11d extending through the face 21 into a chamber 11e in said body portion, said chamber communicating with the socket portions 11b and 1lc as shown in Fig. 2. The passage openings 11, 11d and chamber l1e are seen 65 in Fig. 2 to form symmetrically disposed grooves or recesses 11t in the contiguous abutting side of the halves 11. i

Each current-carrying portion 12 may comprise a suitable terminal binding means, as for example a metallic strip 15 having a screw 16 threaded adjacent the outer end thereof to form a binding post for connecting with an end of a portable conductor wire 17. The inner ends ofthe strip 15 may be connected to an end of 75 a longitudinally extending spring member 19 and to a middle portion of a transverse spring contacting member 20. Said spring members may be of any suitable construction and are adapted to fit into the socket portions 11b and 11c pro- ,80 vided in said body portion. It is to be understood that the said strip 15 and spring members 19, 19 may be formed of one or more pieces and as shown in Fig. 5, the strip 15 consists `of a separate piece firmly secured to said spring mem- 35 ber by an eyelet rivet 18 or other suitable fastening means to form a unitary structure.

The contact member 19 may preferably be formed with looped portions 19 at each end and member 20 may be provided with a loop 20a 90 at its free .end so as to present smooth, springy receiving contact surfaces for terminal bladeson other quick detachable fittings (not shown) which are adapted to be inserted in the openings 11b and 11. 95

The contact members 19 and 20 extend only partially into their respective socket openings eliminating possible short circuit or injury to persons handling the device. l

In using the invention a knot 17aL ris'tied in. 100 the portable conductor wires -17 adjacent the ends thereof and said ends are secured in the.y usual manner to the screw -16 of said binding post. The two halves 11a are then fitted together to .embrace the current carrying portions 12 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the chamber 11 being adapted to accommodate the knot 17' of the conductor wires 17 and serving as a strain relief for the binding post connections (see Fig. 2). The screw 13 is next inserted through 110 said halves 11 for securing the parts together. The device 10 assembled as above described provides a plurality of receptacles or outlets at each of the openings 11h and 11 for detachably connecting into the circuit with the conductor wire 17 portable circuits having a blade type of attachment plug of the well known construction.

If desired, grooves or pockets 1lt may be provided in each of the halves 11'l for receiving the free ends of the strips 15. The current-carrying portions are thus held within the body portion 11` so that the said ends of the strips abut the walls .of the pocket 11i when a pull is exerted on the conductor wires 17 and thereby serve as a means for relieving the strain from the transverse spring contact members 20 of the currentcarrying portions 12.

In Fig. 6 is shown a modified form of the invention. In place of the strips 15 shown in Figs. 2 and 4 there are provided terminal blades 25 projecting outwardly from the face 21` to form a plug type of attachment fitting. The terminal blades are particularly adapted tocooperate with the centrally positioned screw 13 to retain the body portions l1 and 11l in proper engagement or alignment with each other. Thus, said blades are received 4in narrow grooves adjacent to the surface 21, whereby the blades serve to prevent unintended movement or rotation of the body portionsabout ythe screw, this being accomplished effectively as the distance between the axis of the screw and the surface 21', or the points of contact thereat of the blades and the plug body, is considerable. Moreover, as the blades are of considerable width, any unusual strains on the body portions are easily avoided.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 7. Here the halves 31* of the body portion 31 each have socket openings 31 extending through the face 21* and the strip 15 and contact member 19 is replaced by a member 30 having spring contact ends, said member 30 being similar to the cross-member 20 shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Thus the fitting shown forms a connector or junction means adapted to receive terminal blades of other fittings at the end faces of the cylinders A and B.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:-

1. An electrical attachment fitting comprising a two-part insulating body, a plurality of unitary cross-shaped current carrying members housed within said body, each of said members comprising a pair of oppositely extending contact members, a terminal member, and a contact member extending oppositely to said terminal member, said current carrying members lying in planes transverse to the meeting plane of the body parts.

2. An electrical attachment fitting comprising a two-part insulating body, a plurality of unitary cross-shaped current carrying members housed Within said body, each of said members Comprisbody having a split end face, said body being formed with a pair of surfaces disposed at an angle to said split end face, one of said pair of sur-` faces being formed on each body portion, the meeting surfaces of said body portions being formed with registering pairs of spaced, parallel grooves forming a pair of through passages extending to said split end face, said body being formed with a pair of through openings transverse to said meeting surfaces and extending to said pair of surfaces and communicating with said through passages,l and at pair of similar, symmetrically disposed, cross-shaped current carrying members each having a pair of oppositely extending spring contact members disposed within one of said through openings, a spring contact member disposed within one of said passages, and a terminal extending oppositely to said spring contact and disposed within said passage.

4. An electrical attachment fitting comprising two insulating portions tted together to form a body having a pair of split end faces, said body being formed with a pair of surfaces at right angles to said faces, one of said surfaces being formed on each body portion, the meeting surfaces of said body portions being formed with pairs of spaced registering grooves forming a pair of spaced, parallel through passages extending to said split end faces, said body being formed with a pair of through openings transverse to said meeting surfaces and extending to said pair of surfaces, one of said openings communicating with one of said passages, and the other of said openings communicating with the other of said passages, and a pair of cross-shaped current carrying members within said body, each having a pair of oppositely extending spring contact members disposed within one of said through openings, a spring contact member disposed in one of said passages, and a plug blade disposed in said passage and extending oppositely to said last named spring contact member and projecting from said body.

5. An electrical attachment fitting comprising two complementary insulating portions fitted together to form a body having split ends, said body being formd with a pair of surfaces disposed at an angle to said ends and substantially parallel to the meeting faces of said body portions, one of said pair of surfaces being formed on each body portion, the meeting faces of said body portions being formed with registering pairs of recesses forming through passages extending to said ends, each body portion being formed with a pair of parallel through openings transverse to the meeting face thereof and extending to said surface thereof and communicating with said passages, and a pair of current carrying members each having a pair of. contact members transverse to said meeting faces and each extending into one of said parallel through openings of each body portion, respectively, and a pair of oppositely extending portions disposed within 'one of said passages.

6. An electrical attachment fitting comprising two insulating portions fitted together to form a body having a pair of split end faces, said body being formed with a pair of surfaces at right angles to said faces, one of said surfaces being formed on each body portion, the meeting surfaces of said body portions being formed with pairs of spaced, registering grooves forming a pair of spaced, parallel through passages extending to said split end faces, said body being formed with a pair of through openings transverse tosaid meeting surfaces and extending to said pair of surfaces, one of said openings communicating with one of said passages, and the other of said openings communicatingyvith the other of said passages, and a pair of cross-shaped current carrying members within said body, each having a pair of oppositely extending spring contact mem.- bers disposed within one of said through openings, a spring contact member disposed in one of said passages, and a plug blade disposed in said passage and extending oppositely to said last named spring, contact member and projecting from said body, said plug blades comprising fiat strips of metal disposed in planes transverse to the meeting plane of said body portions and portions of the registering grooves receiving said plug blades being narrower than the remainder of said grooves and lying in parallel planes perpendicular to the meeting plane of said body portions. f

7. An electrical attachment fitting comprising a two-part insulating body, a pair of similar symmetrically disposed unitary cross-shaped current carrying members housed within said body and lying in planes transverse to the meeting plane of the body parts, each of said members comprising a spring contact having a bent back portion, an elongated strip attached at the middle thereof to one end of said spring contact and having the outer ends thereof bent back to form a pair of oppositely extending spring contacts, and a terminal member comprising a strip of metal attached at one end thereof to the middle of said elongated strip, said spring contact, elongated strip and strip terminal being attached together by a single fastening member.

8. An electrical attachment fitting comprising two complementary insulating portions fitted together to form a body having split ends, said body being formed with a pair of surfaces disposed at an angle to said ends and substantially parallel to the meeting face of said body portions,'

one of said pair of surfaces being formed on each body portion, the meeting face of said body portions being f-orrned with registering pairs of recesses forming through passages extending to said ends, each body portion being formed with a pair of parallel through openings transverse to the meeting faces thereof and extending to said surface thereof and communicating with said passages, and a pair of similar, symmetrically disposed, cross-shaped current carrying members within said body, eachcomprising an elongated strip of metal having the ends thereof bent back to form spring contacts transverse to said meeting faces and each extending into one of said parallel through openings of each body portion, respectively, a spring contact having a bent back portion disposed Within one of said passages and attached at the free ends thereof to the middle of said elongated strip, and a plug blade disposed within said passage and projecting from said body and attached at one end thereof to the middle of said elongated strip and to said last mentioned spring contact.

'- MORRIS PROPP. 

